'Wellness' Tracker Lures Seniors to a Data Driven Lifestyle

'Wellness' Tracker Lures Seniors to a Data Driven Lifestyle

'Wellness' Tracker Lures Seniors to a Data Driven Lifestyle


LAS VEGAS –Remember Fitibt, the cute fitness tracker for adults that logs your every move? Now seniors have their own version of the device. Wellcore is a monitoring system that offers automatic fall detection, a web site where you can input data to track your activity and rest patterns and send text alerts.

But it is not being pitched as just another fitness tracker. Instead Wellcore executives are playing up the device's emergency alert system. Wellcore has motion detection and pattern recognition so if the wearer stumbles or falls, it can automatically send an emergency service, a caregiver or a family member an alert.

CES 2010

"Traditional personal response systems require users to push a button to activate it," says Vijay Nadkarni, CEO of Wellcore. "They have also been marketed in a way that makes it embarrassing for many to buy it. We are combining the idea of fitness and an emergency response system."

Monitoring your lifestyle through data and data analysis is becoming increasingly popular. New devices such as the Fitbit and the DirectLife from Philips are trying to automate self-tracking. Wellcore tap into that idea but adds a feature that should get the attention of seniors.

The Wellcore system, designed by Hartmut Esslinger, founder of industrial design firm, Frog Design, has two parts. It has a base unit that acts as a charger and a clip that can be hooked on to your belt or pants. The waterproof hardware costs $200 (every additional belt clip costs $100) and the emergency monitoring service will set you back by $50 a month. The system will be available for pre-orders starting February 18 through the company's website.

Wellcore also includes features such as an automatic reminder sent through the device's base unit asking to be worn. If the sensor is left unworn for an extended period of time, an email message is sent to a designated caregiver or family member, so it's a good way to remind mom or dad to use it.

The password-protected online dashboard measures the numbers of steps taken everyday and charts patterns from the data offering activity graphs that indicate if its average or above average for the user. Users can also check their daily, monthly, or 90 day progress.

While the other fitness trackers can do more, they also aren't designed for senior users. Wellcore attempts to bring the same idea to an older group by throwing in a few services that will sweeten the idea for them.

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Photo: Wellcore system